Snare-drum adjustment



c. H. PEAcocK 2,430,184

SNARE DRUM ADJUSTMENT Filed March 14,l 1945 2\Sheets-Sheet l 'Flgl Nov. 4, 1947.

N0 4,1941 l c. H. `F'EAcocK A 2,430,184

s-NARE DRUM ADJUSTMENT Filed March 14, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 4, 1 947 UNITED STATES., PATENT OFFICE 2,430,184 SNARE-DRUM ADJUSTMENT Cyril Herbert Peacock, London, England Application March 14, 1945, Serial No. 582,627 In 4Great Britain January 5, 1945 (Cl. SI1-411) 2 Claims. 1

This invention relates 'to snare drums and to snares therefor.

Drum snares known hitherto usually provide for anchoring the snare at one side of the drum and adjustably mounting the opposite end of the snare, but Where adjustable mountings have been provided for both ends of the snare the adjustment of the end mountings has been effected independently, Moreover in known adjustable mountings for drum snares there has been the tendency for the operating or controlling member to slip, resulting in the snare coming into the operative position when not required.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction of drum snare which avoids the disadvantages of known constructions, the improved snare mounting being simple in construction and effective in use, and embodying snare tensioning means.

Broadly the present invention provides a drum snare in which the snare is moved into and out of the operating lposition by simultaneous movement of mounting means provided at opposite' ends of the snare, Such simultaneous operation of the snare and mountings is preferably effected through a common member operable from one or either side of the drum. In a preferred arrangement the opposite ends of the snare are clamped to carriers slidably mounted on the drum shell, said carriers being moved simultaneously by a common operating member supported Within the drum and operable from one or either side thereof. Means may be provided for positively retaining the snare end mountings in the operative or inoperative positions in which they have been set. Retention means for this purpose conveniently provide spring or equivalent yielding means normally effective to hold the end mountings against accidental movement, the opposition of the spring or the equivalent to movement of the end mounting being readily overcome to permit of said movement, the spring or the equivalent then acting automatically to retain it in the set position. Preferably a single spring is arranged to retain each snare mounting in the set position.

The invention also lprovides for snare tensioning means associated with one or both of the snare end mountings and comprising, for example, a, snare end clamp pivotally supported on the movable mounting and cofacting with means to regulate the tensioning of the snare, Identical snare operating and tensioning mountings are provided at opposite ends of the snare.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood reference is now directed to the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodiment of the invention, and wherein Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showing the snare operating and tensioning means in position on a drum. Figure 2 is a, front elevation of one of the mountings (with cover removed) and Figure 3 is a sectional plan view on line Ill-III of Figure 2.

The construction of the snare itself forms no part of the present invention and may be of any suitable form. The ysnare I is attached -in any desired manner at each end to a flexible tailpiece 2 adapted to be gripped near its outer end between a transverse dent 3' in the body 3 of a' carrier 8, the cheeks 'l and carrier flanges being pierced for a transverse pivot pin 9. The clamp body 3 is also provided intermediately of the upper and lower cheeks 6, 'l respectively with a screwthreaded boss Il] within which engages a knurled-head screw II, the .point of which bears' against the base of the channelled carrier 8. The clamp is normally drawn inwards by the tension of the snare I so that by adjusting the screw II the clamp body 3 is swung upon its pivot pin 9, thereby regulating the tension of the snare I (see dotted position of clamp at left-hand side of Figure 1). The channelled carrier 8 is mounted for vertical sliding movement within a channelled base plate I2, which is fixed to the drum shell I3 by means of a screwed stud I4 and an externally threaded bearing bush I5, the main purpose of whichL is referred to later. The stud I4 has a coned collar I6 for engaging within a .complementary seating I'l formed in the floor of the back-plate I2 and carries a xing nut I8 on the screwed portion of the stud which passes into the drum shell interior, whereby the stud I4 is secured in position. The base of the carrier 8 is provided with two elongated slots I9, 2D which clear the stud I4 and bearing bush I5 respectively and serve to limit the vertical movement of the carrier 8 relative to and over the channelled backplate l2. The stud I4 serves also for two other purposes; firstly, it secures in positionby a screwed outer extremity-an outer xed cover 2i supported at its lower end by a pin or peg 22 directly engaging the drum shell I3, and secondly it serves as a pivot pin for a springhousing'cylinder 23. The cylinder 23 is suspended fromthe stud I4 and houses a coiled spring 24, which is compressed between the fixed stud I4 at the top and the crown 25 of a, slidable plunger 25 closing the open bottom of cylinder 23. The plunger 25 is pivotally connected by a pin 26 to the outer end of a lever 21 xed to a tube 28 journalled at diametrically opposite sides of the drum shell I3 in the two bearing bushes I5, which are clamped by nuts 29 to said shell I3. Within one end of the tube 28 is received the shank 30 of an Operating handle 3I disposed outside of the cover 2I, the tube 28 and inserted shank 30 being secured together by a crossbolt 32. On the boss of `the lever 21 is provided a lug 33 which engages within a socket 34 formed in the adjacent flange of the sliding carrier 8. The two levers 21 operating by their lugs 33 the two carriers 8 are set on the common tube 28 in such manner that the swinging of the operating handle 3l causes movement simultaneously of both carriers 8, thereby enabling the snare I to be moved quickly from the operating position in which it is in contact with the drum head 35 as shown, into the raised inoperative position indicated in dotted lines, and vice versa. The positions A, B of the operating handle 32, indicated in Figure 2, correspond to the settings of the snare I in the operative and the inoperative positions.

It will be clear from Figure 2 that the springs 24 housed in the pivoted cylinders 23 and acting through the plungers 25 connected to the levers 21 on opposite sides of the drum shell I3 retain the levers 21 in whichever position they have been set by the swinging of the operating handle 32. The opposition of the springs 24 is readily overcome by the swinging levers 21, and when once the levers 21 have passed the dead-centre positions the springs 24 assist the movement of the levers 21 into the required set positions, in which positions they are retained automatically by the springs 24.

I claim:

l. A drum comprising a drum shell closed at an end by a drum head, a snare across said head, clamped means for holding the opposite ends of said snare, mounting means for said clamp means, said mounting means comprising slidable carrier members mounted on each side of the drum shell, carrier positioning means adapted to slide each of said carriers in their respective mountings, a single operating member connected to said carrier operating means, said single member being supported in said drum shell and operative from a side of said shell, said carrier positioning means comprising a cylinder vpivoted below said clamp means on a pin, a plunger in the free end of said cylinder and extending partially from said end of the cylinder, a lever mounted on said single operating member connected to one of said carrier members, said lever having its other end pivotally connected to said end of the plunger, and spring means mounted in said cylinder between said pin and said plunger adapted to assist in the movement of said lever past the dead center position of the said pivotal connection with the plunger and to thereafter retain said lever in set positions to either side of the dead center position for the respective operative and inoperative positions of the snare.

2. The drum as set forth in claim 1, wherein said lever for each of said carrier members includes a lug, and said carrier members include a socket for receiving said lug, whereby said carrier members are moved by the actuation of said levers from said single operating means.

CYRIL HERBERT PEACOCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

